Caregivers' knowledge and practice toward pressure ulcer prevention in national orthopedic hospital, Enugu, Nigeria.

INTRODUCTION: Globally, nurses are known to care for hospitalized patients and the presence or absence of pressure ulcers is being regarded as a performance measure of quality nursing care. The study aims to determine the knowledge and practice of caregivers towards pressure ulcer prevention for hospitalized patients in National Orthopaedic Hospital, Enugu. METHOD: A cross sectional descriptive survey design was adopted among eighty-five (85) caregivers who met the inclusion criteria and participated in the study. Ethical approval and informed consent of participants was obtained before data collection using a pre-tested semi-structured questionnaire and checklist. Descriptive analysis and Chi-square statistical test was used to test for association between variables. RESULT: Results revealed poor knowledge 67.3% of pressure ulcer prevention among caregivers. Inadequate staffing 93.5%, heavy workload 92.9%, were highest perceived barriers to pressure ulcer prevention. The test of hypothesis showed that there is a significant relationship between years of service of caregivers and knowledge of pressure ulcer P = 0.000. CONCLUSION: It was concluded that in-service training, recruitment of more staff and ensuring availability of the necessary equipment are some of the important steps to improve nurses' knowledge and practice regarding prevention of pressure ulcer.

Effects of Solanum melongena (garden egg) on some visual functions of visually active Igbos of Nigeria.

Solanum melongena LINN (garden egg) or bitter tomato is an economic flowering plant belonging to the family Solanaceae and widely distributed throughout the temperate and tropical regions. Members are mostly herbaceous plants, and the fruit is berry and the seeds have large endosperm and are grown mainly for food and medicinal purposes. The effects of bolus consumption of 10 g of S. melongena were undertaken on visually active male volunteers so as to determine its ocular complications. Results showed that the pupil size was reduced (23%), NPC was decreased (9%) and the AA was increased (22%) and the intraocular pressure dropped by 25% while there was no effect on VA, and the habitual phoria. The miotic effect lowered the intraocular pressure appreciably and the reduced NPC which was still within normal range did not produce any vision discomfort. The increased AA and convergence excess positively correlated provide an efficient visual mechanism. It is suggested that S. melongena would be of benefit to patients suffering from raised intraocular pressure (glaucoma) and convergence insufficiency.